Millennial Parents More Likely Than Gen Xers To Increase Work After Kids, Survey Says

Millennial parents are twice as likely to increase the amount they work after having children compared with Generation X peers, according to an EY survey.

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Children of millennials can thank their moms (and dads) for bringing home the bacon this Mother’s Day.

Millennial parents are twice as likely to increase the amount they work after having children, compared with some of their Generation X peers, according to a new survey from tax and professional services firm EY.

The study found that 26% of millennials, defined as those 18 to 32 years old, said they increased the amount of time they worked after having children. That compares with 13% of those in Generation X, 33 to 48 years old, and 16% of baby boomers, 49 to 67 years old.

The results suggest young workers don’t feel they need to choose between having a family and advancing their careers, said Karyn Twaronite, an EY executive overseeing workforce diversity and inclusiveness. EY refers to the global organization that includes Ernst & Young LLP in the U.S.

“Millennial parents are really committed to their careers,” she said. Older millennials “are becoming managers and taking on more responsibility.”

Similarly, the survey of full-time U.S. workers found that 9% of spouses or partners of millennial parents quit work after having a child. That’s half the rate of boomers, who saw 18% of partners quit work once a child arrived. The survey found 12% of Gen X partners left the workforce.

The findings came from a broader study of workplace trends. That same survey also found younger workers think differently about having children than older workers did.

The “ability to afford a home” ranked as a top economic or career factor influencing the decision to have children for 73% of millennials. That compares with 60% for Gen Xers and 55% for boomers. Respondents could choose among 10 factors.

The most common consideration for Gen Xers was salary. For boomers, the most common concern was benefits.

Whether their employers offered flexible options, such as working from home, mattered to 59% of millennials, but just 29% of boomers. Similarly, almost half of younger workers considered whether or not they received paid parental leave. That was a factor for 21% of baby boomers.

The survey of about 1,200 U.S. workers was conducted online by Harris Poll between November 2014 and January 2015.